Sports, politics, and culture in seven succinct sections!

It’s Over

It’s about time for Kenny Smith to come out with “it’s over, it’s over, let’s go home” – his line after a tremendous dunk in the NBA Dunk Contest – now that Donald Trump has said he’s not sure he will accept the results of the election. Trump is a presidential candidate who hasn’t paid federal income tax in years and may not accept the will of the people. Doesn’t sound like a winner to me.

II. Taxing Debate

As much as has been discussed and written about the candidates leading into last night’s final presidential debate, including the lack of tax returns from Donald Trump, the one thing that has really not been harped upon – by media or Democrats – is that after months of claiming inability to release the returns while under audit, Trump has stated he would release them immediately if Hillary Clinton released her 33,000 deleted emails. In other words, if he would release based solely on something Hillary would do as opposed to any legal constraints, there is nothing stopping him from releasing them immediately…which prompts the question, what is contained in those returns that keeps him from doing so?

III. For Better or for Worse

I asked a couple of friends which event would be more likely by 2020, assuming a Trump loss: an NBA Championship Parade in New York City – in either Manhattan or Brooklyn – or Melania remaining together with Donald Trump. The guys seemed to think such a parade was unlikely to happen while LeBron is around, and that she would probably stay – and they may have a point. Melania elicited an apology from Donald – or so she claimed – for his comments on the 2005 tape, which must mean she means something to him, unlike – apparently – the various people to whom he owes apologies but has yet to apologize to, among them being:

President Obama
African-Americans
Judge Curiel
Mexicans and Mexican-Americans
Muslims
Jews
People with Disabilities
The Central Park Five
The women he may have grabbed
The vendors he definitely stiffed

and so on.

But back to the original question, I think perhaps there may be a sliver of a chance for a NYC parade. Obviously the Brooklyn Nets are in “started from the bottom ” mode, so they are not likely to be parading down Flatbush Avenue in the near future – but as for the Knicks, who knows what can happen if Derrick Rose is healthy, Joakim Noah is back to form and Carmelo Anthony is one of the top scorers in the game, not to mention the improvement of Kristaps Porzingis?

Of course, this guy might have something to say about things as well, if it comes to that…

IV. Believeland Part II?

With the Cleveland Indians on their way to the World Series just months after the Cavaliers won the title, one has to wonder if the town is on a collective sports roll, like New York in 1969-70 (Jets, Mets, Knicks), Philadelphia in 1983-85 (Sixers, Phillies, Villanova), and Boston in 2007-08 (Red Sox, Celtics). What we don’t have to wonder is if it’s “rigged” – for if it were, here are some series match ups they might have chosen:

Mets-Red Sox
30 years after the classic series, Big Papi’s final season.

Cubs-Red Sox
Matchup of two Theo Epstein-built teams.

Blue Jays-Nationals
Canada’s team vs. Canada’s former team.

Giants-any AL team
It’s an even-numbered year.

V. 2018

If Curt Schilling thought his sock was bloody in 2004, wait until he sees how bloody he gets – in a manner of speaking – when he faces Elizabeth Warren in a race for her Senate seat in 2018.

VI. WAR – What is it Good For?

No, not conflict. And not the timeless Edwin Starr song, either. WAR as in wins above replacement.

As much as I love math, and statistics, and debating about the world of sports, some of these statistical measuring sticks don’t totally measure up for me. To me, if a third grader can’t compute it in his or her head, it’s secondary in nature. If I am off base, let me know.

VII. Vote

If this election and these candidates – one way or another – haven’t motivated you to cast a ballot, I’m not sure what will.